


Finding A Way Home (Hiatus)

by OblivionsGarden



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-08-13
Updated: 2016-08-13
Packaged: 2018-08-08 12:37:12
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 10
Words: 17,679
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7758130
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/OblivionsGarden/pseuds/OblivionsGarden
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Gabrielle keeps dreaming about the world of magic. Are the dreams just that or are they supressed memories? Only one way to find out...Break out and find the toad like woman in pink. Scabior/Oc</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Whittingham Asylum

**Title -** _Finding A Way Home  
_ **Chapter title -** _Whittingham Asylum  
_ **Author -** _OblivionsGarden  
_ **Genre -** _Romance/Drama  
_ **Disclaimer -** _I do not own Harry Potter, books or films, in anyway shape or form. I only own my original characters and the plot for this fic. For this chapter I own, Gabrielle, Julie, Doctor Fletcher._

 

* * *

_A hand, clutching a slim length of wood, pointing forwards as though it were some kind of weapon. A flash of blue light, blinding and the call of a man, all too familiar yet so foreign. The back of a head. A woman with long auburn hair and tiny waist. The same hand that had been holding the wood was rested on the middle of her back, the thumb tracing small circles. A word, Hogwarts, echoes around. Hogwarts? What is it? Is it even an it? The mans voice again. 'It's a school. For special witches and wizard. Just like you, darling.' Witches. Magic. Spells. Things a muggle could never explain. Muggle? Another odd word. What's a muggle? What is a muggle?_

"Morning, poppet." A thick Scottish accent breaks through the thick fog that was a dream. "Now lets have you up and showered before breakfast, eh?" The elderly, grey haired, plump woman placed a polystyrene cup of luke warm tea on a bedside table and left the room. A girl on the bed sits up and rakes a hand through her long ebony hair, staring at the tea as if it had just spat out a great insult to her. She remembers things from her nights sleep. Hogwarts was a word she had heard before but muggle...That was new. She knew Doctor Fletcher would ask if anything new had surfaced but she also knew that if she told of the new word, she'd be in this place for longer.  
Sighing, she lifted the tea and took a sip with a grimace. They always forgot the sugar. Leaving it where it was she picked up her wash bag, tucked a towel under her arm and grabbed her clean clothes and headed into the bathroom. Once clean and dressed, she dropped her dirty towel in the hamper, replaced her wash bag in her room and made her way into the communal area.  
"Good morning, Gabs." A girl whose name had slipped her mind mumbled as she passed.  
"Ah, Gabrielle. Toast for breakfast as usual, eh?" The Scottish woman was smiling from the kitchen. Gabrielle nodded and sat down at the small plastic table.  
"Bring it through to my office would you Julie?" A tall man with messy blonde hair smiled as he flicked through various papers on his clipboard. "Gabbie, come through, please."

Gabrielle rolled her eyes but otherwise obediently followed the man through to his office. She sat down in the red faux leather chair opposite his desk without being asked. He sat down in his own desk chair and smiled in what he thought was a comforting way.  
"Julie says you were talking in your sleep this morning."  
"Well, she would know wouldn't she." A sarcastic tone that Doctor Fletcher was all too familiar with. He frowned.  
"Gabbie-"  
"Gabrielle."  
"Gabrielle...If something new formulates in your mind you have to tell me. I'm here to help you get better."  
"Eh-Ehhh! Wrong answer doc. You're here to make sure I stay put because mummy and daddy think I'm crazy."  
"So you're actually calling them mum and dad now?" The doctor scribbled something down on a notepad.  
"No. It's just less of a mouthful than foster mum and foster dad." Gabrielle scowled and sunk lower in her chair.  
"And why do you prefer to be called Gabrielle?"  
"You know why."  
"Refresh my memory."  
"Because my dad used to call me Gabbie. Doesn't seem right that you or anyone else does."  
"Your dad being..."  
Gabrielle glared at the doctor. "I don't know." Her teeth were gritted and hands in tight fists.  
"So...What did you dream about this time?"  
"Same as usual but there was another word..." Gabrielle started. Doctor Fletcher waited for her to continue, pen poised over the paper ready to take notes. "Muggle. And don't ask what it means, I don't know. I can't remember."  
"Gabrielle. You're not remembering anything. These aren't memories."  
"Of course doctor. As you so enjoy reminding me, they are just figments of my over active imagination."  
"Exactly."  
"Well, is that it? Because dozy Julie hasn't bought my toast through and I'm hungry."  
"Go on."

Gabrielle left the room as fast as she could manage. She bypassed the communal area and headed straight into the gardens. The grass felt cooling beneath her toes and the air refreshing in her lungs. She walked right to the front gate and stared up at the large, ugly sign that looked out at the road opposite. ' _Whittingham Asylum_ ' was printed in a mossy green font.  
"Oi lads, look." A deep voice from the opposite side of the gate caught Gabrielle's attention. "You're pretty for a nutter." A teenage boy called to her. With a smirk Gabrielle walked closer. "What you in 'ere for then darlin'? Loosin' you're marbles?"  
"No. Actually, I killed my family and pleaded insanity. This place is nicer than a prison cell wouldn't you say?" The boys soon scurried off back to whatever rock they crawled from under and Gabrielle wondered back inside, a smug smile gracing her features.

At just nineteen years old, she'd spent three years in Whittingham, one year previous with foster parents, four months previous in a children's home and anything before that is beyond her. She can't remember anything before the children's home. She woke up in a blue bedroom, with no recollection of anything except for her name and age. During the time she spent with her foster parents, she started having dreams about the man and woman and Hogwarts and bright lights and flying...All these things were at first, regarded as just dreams. But when Gabrielle started to get more and more convinced that these things were memories and not dreams, she was sent to Whittingham.

_'Gabrielle Beckett._   
_19._   
_Born November 10th._   
_Parents unknown._   
_Legal guardians: Tony and Caroline Hattersly._   
_5"4._   
_110lbs upon admission._   
_Believes deluded dreams are real memories._   
_No physical danger to herself or others.'_

That was it. They were the main facts that Gabrielle knew about herself that were kept in a paper file at the foot of her bed. The other trivial things about her personality didn't count. All she knew was her name and her age. What use is that? She wanted to know who her real parents were and where they were now. She wanted to know what her dreams meant. She wanted, more than anything, to go home. Wherever that may be.  
She had thought of leaving Whittingham before, but where was she supposed to go? She didn't have any money or any family...That she knew of. She didn't have a home or any friends. She had thought of Hogwarts but with no proof of it genuinely existing other than in her head, she didn't have a clue where it was. Instead she was trapped. Trapped within the white walls of Whittingham and the dark corners of her mind until something, anything gave her a clue of where to go.

"Gabrielle, lovie! You didn't eat your toast." Julie tried to stop Gabrielle from passing straight through the communal room.  
"Not hungry."  
"At least have a drink."  
"I've got a cup of none sweet, cold tea waiting in my room. Thanks." She sped up her walk until she was back in her room. She took the cup of tea into her wash room and emptied it down the sink. She sat on the lid of the toilet, staring at her reflection in the mirror opposite. Her coal black hair hung to just past her shoulders with no style or volume. It just hung in a tangled mess, all one length and particularly boring. There was a small red dot on her right nostril where she figured she must've worn a stud at some point. It was healed up now though, and Doctor Fletcher made sure that none of his patients had anything sharp around them. Her eyes, a midnight blue, like that in the sky that surrounded the stars were dull and lifeless. She often wondered if there had ever been any sparkle in them. Any glint of life and mischief. She hoped there had, even if she couldn't remember it. Her bottom lip was cracked and chapped from where she regularly chewed on it in concentration and deep thought.  
She glanced down at her hands. They were small, just like everything on her. Her feet, ears, nose. Even her height was considered small for her age. Her hands were covered in a pale creamy skin, like that of a china doll but was no where near as perfect. There were small scars on the backs of her hands from where the hospital had once owned a cat, as a present for the patients there. Trouble was the feline was evil. Hissing and spitting it's way down corridors and scratching anything within a 2 meter radius. Her nails were coated in a chipped red nail varnish one of the other girls had done for her. It was after Doctor Fletcher insisted she socialize more and the girl had offered a manicure. Gabrielle said yes, just to get the doctor of her back but regretted it straight away. Red nails weren't her thing. They were for a girl who liked to be noticed by men. A girl who wore skirts and tight tops. A girl that Gabrielle wasn't.

With a sigh she stood up and took one last look in the mirror but the person she saw staring back wasn't her. The person in the mirror mimicked every move Gabrielle made, even the stupid faces she pulled. It was a plump woman with a sickly sweet yet toad like smile. Seeing only her mid stomach upwards, Gabrielle could see she was wearing some sort of pink tweed outfit with a pink fuzzy cardigan on the top. Gabrielle rubbed her eyes with the heel of her hands and looked back up. The woman still stared back at her but this time, the wash room walls weren't reflected behind her. People were bustling about in the background whilst there was a grand statue. Gabrielle couldn't quite make out what it was when she heard a high voice, whispering in her ear.  
" _The Ministry. This is the Ministry Of Magic_."  
"The what?" Gabrielle asked but as soon as she spoke, the image in her mirror faded away, leaving her staring at herself again.

She moved back into the bedroom, aiming a kick at the chair by her barred window. With a groan she sat down in said chair and cradled her now throbbing toe in her hands.  
"The Ministry." She grumbled to herself. "That's be great if I knew where the Ministry was."  
"Where the what was?" Doctor Fletcher came into the room, a bright smile on his face.  
"My, uh...Notepad. I'd be happier if I could remember where my notepad was."  
"I confiscated it yesterday. Remember?"  
"Oh...Yes, of course." Gabrielle mentally kicked herself. Now he's going to think she's got memory loss on top of delusion. Fantastic. "Can I have it back?"  
"I suppose. There's nothing of great importance in there. Nothing you haven't already told us anyway."  
"I did tell you."  
"Yes, but I have to make sure. It's my job."  
"Is it?" Gabrielle yawned as she pulled out a pair of socks and started wiping off the bits of dirt and grass that were stuck to the sole of her feet.  
" _The Leaky Cauldron_."  
"The what?" Gabrielle looked up at Doctor Fletcher who was frowning at her.  
"What?"  
"Did you say something?" She asked.  
"No. Did you hear someone say something."  
"No."  
"Gabbie."  
"Fletch."  
"It's Doctor Fletcher."  
"I know. Same as you know my name is Gabrielle." She stood up and left the room.

She headed into the kitchen and pulled out a slice of bread and a jar of strawberry jam. As she made herself a sandwhich, she head the voice again. _The Leaky Cauldron_. What is that? Ignoring it, she sat down in the communal room, staring blankly at the television screen as one of the other girls flicked from channel to channel without stopping for more than 3 seconds on any of them.  
She went out for her usual jog around the grounds in the afternoon, but other than that her day passed in it's monotonous, slow progression. However the high voice didn't relent in whispering strange words in her ear.


	2. The Leaky Cauldron

**Title -** _Finding A Way Home  
_ **Chapter title -** _The Leaky Cauldron  
_ **Author -** _OblivionsGarden  
_ **Genre -** _Romance/Drama  
_ **Disclaimer -** _I do not own Harry Potter, books or films, in anyway shape or form. I only own my original characters and the plot for this fic. For this chapter I own, Gabrielle, Julie, Doctor Fletcher._

* * *

Gabrielle couldn't sleep that night. She lay, staring at her ceiling replaying words over in her head.  
 _Muggle_... _Hogwarts_... _Ministry_... _Leaky Cauldron_...  
She didn't know what she was supposed to do with the little information she had. She knew muggle was something to do with a person. The way she'd heard it said, it seemed like some kind of insult. She knew Hogwarts was a school and that The Ministry was where the toad like woman from the mirror must be. The Leaky Cauldron was the only thing she had nothing to go on. She seemed to associate it with a dark backstreet. She imagined London. But, London was a big city.  
She rolled onto her side and stared at the wall. London was a big city but it was a big world. She had more chance of finding this Leaky Cauldron place, _if_ her imaginings were right and it was a place, than finding anything else. She had always thought it'd be more than simple to leave Whittingham had the desire and reason come to her. Just so happens those two things had come to her. Of course, in a less than conventional way but they had come non-the-less.  
She stood from the bed and rifled through her wardrobe. The clothes in there had been bought for her by her foster parents. They were either white or another pale colour. She closed the wardrobe and sat at her desk. The only real possession she had was her blue notepad. Inside she'd wrote down everything that had happened in her dreams with the occasional rough sketch. In a purse she kept under her mattress was fifty pounds that her foster father had given her. It was his way of saying ' _I'm sorry I put you in the loony bin, buy yourself something nice, should they ever let you go_.' She tucked her notepad in with the purse and returned to bed, ready to leave in the morning as soon as the opportunity arose.

* * *

"Rise and shine, lovie." Julie's voice once again pierced through the veil of a dream.  
Gabrielle rolled onto her side and swung her legs over the side of the bed. As usual there was a cup of luke warm tea on the bedside table. The only difference was that when Gabrielle took a sip, it wasn't bitter. Her requested two sugars had been remembered. She smiled a little at the irony. Things go her way on the day she's planning to leave. She drained the contents of her tea before it went completely cold and headed for a quick wash and teeth brush. She changed into a pair of white linen trousers and a pale, minty green tee shirt. Her trainers were white also but from her constant wearing of this particular pair, had grass stains around the soles. With her purse in her pocket she took her notepad and headed out into the communal area.  
"Toast?" Julie asked.  
"Erm...Do we have anything more...filling?"  
"We have some porridge or I can make you a full English."  
"Full English would be great actually." Gabrielle took a seat at the table as she waited for her breakfast to be cooked.

When it was placed in front of her she smiled. Sausages, eggs, bacon, beans and mushroom along with two hash browns. It was the biggest meal she'd had in while. She usually just ate sandwiches or the occasional plate of chips. When she'd finished her breakfast she wondered around the hospital for a while before moving outside. She took a slow walk around the grounds, knowing she wouldn't raise any suspicion. She took the same walk everyday and often took the same route for her common jog.  
A few months ago, she'd found a broken fence panel that she would quite easily be able to squeeze through. The only trouble was that it was directly opposite a security camera. All the camera monitors were in Doctor Fletcher's office and as soon as she was through, she'd have just a few seconds before they were after her.  
Hoping to get herself a few more seconds to run, she sat down where the broken panel was and pretended to be sketching. Just a few minutes there should convince anyone watching her she wasn't planning anything. She leant back on her hands, surveying the grounds around her. A few other patients were wondering around and there were two doctors by the door. Luckily, they were engaged in conversation so the only person she had to worry about was Doctor Fletcher. And that was only if he was in his office. Leaning further back she pushed the panel to the side, revealing the gap. She placed her notepad at the side and glanced back at the doctors. They hadn't moved an inch. She scrambled backwards, pushing through the slim space. Once through she pulled the fence panel back, picked up her notepad and started running. She was in Whittingham forest and she knew that if she kept on straight she'd reach a path which would then lead her back to the main road. She slowed her pace for a few seconds to catch her breath and take one last look at the green fence she'd just come through.

She took off running again and soon found the main road. She wondered along it at a leisurely pace until she wound up in the town centre. She had to ask a few people where the train station was but once she found it, she took the first train to London.  
It was only a half an hour journey but Gabrielle managed to fall asleep in that short space of time. And in her dream, the toad like woman reappeared.  
" _I have them. I have them all. Memories of the fallen_." She whispered, giggling to herself. " _I know who your parents are_."  
Gabrielle shot up, startling the old woman sat opposite her. "Sorry." She mumbled. "Bad dream."

Once off the train she wound up wondering around London for hours. She didn't know where she was, who anyone around her was or how to get to her destination.  
"Excuse me." She tapped a burly looking man on the shoulder. "I don't suppose you've ever heard of the Leaky Cauldron, have you?"  
"Leaky Cauldron? You 'avin a laugh love?" The man turned away and Gabrielle continued on down the street. She asked someone every few buildings down but no one knew what she was talking about. That was until a short, balding man with little eyes and glasses that sat on the tip of his nose pulled on her tee shirt.  
"The Leaky Cauldron, was it?"  
"Yes. Have you heard of it?"  
"I work there. Follow me." Gabrielle didn't like the sternness of the man but he was her only hope for the moment. She followed behind him in silence, vaguely wondering if those back at Whittingham were looking for her.

It was a long walk but they eventually arrived outside a dingy looking pub just as night fell. Gabrielle went inside, noting that the few people there were dressed very odd. She sat down at a stool by the bar, glancing anxiously around. She hadn't actually thought this far ahead into her plan. She was at the place she'd heard of in her dreams but now what? A bar man appeared before her, clearly waiting to hear what she wanted.  
"Oh. Um...I'll have a coke please."  
The bar man stared. "You're new round here." He said it as a statement rather than a question. "I'll get you a butter beer." Gabrielle frowned but said nothing. When her drink arrived before her she held out a five pound note. The man once again stared. "On the house. Where are you headed?"  
"How do you know I'm headed somewhere?" She asked taking a sip of the strange drink. She smiled internally. It was actually really nice.  
"I can just tell."  
"Oh...Well, actually I'm headed to the Ministry." The man nodded. "You know it?"  
"Course I do."  
"How do I get there?"  
"You're heading somewhere without knowing how to get there?"  
"It's a very long story." She shrugged,  
"Why don't you just apparate?"  
"Apparate? What's that?" The bar man chuckled.  
"I'll take you when I'm done here. Alright?"  
"Thanks." Gabrielle smiled to herself once more as she continued with her butter beer. She had no clue what the man had been talking about but if he was kind enough to take her to a place she wasn't sure existed, then that's good enough for her.

* * *

 


	3. The Ministry Of Magic

**Title -** _Finding A Way Home  
_ **Chapter title -** _The Ministry Of Magic  
_ **Author -** _OblivionsGarden  
_ **Genre -** _Romance/Drama  
_ **Disclaimer -** _I do not own Harry Potter, books or films, in anyway shape or form. I only own my original characters and the plot for this fic. For this chapter I own, Gabrielle, Gideon and Miranda Beckett, and Angie._

* * *

"Right, come on then. I'm on my break, I'll take you now." The man that had given Gabrielle her first butter beer moved to her side of the bar. "Now, I'm going to take you through to Diagon Alley first, then we'll apparate. All right?"  
"Uh...Sure." Gabrielle didn't know what he was talking about but thought it best to agree, since he was giving up his own free time to take her to the Ministry.

She followed him through into the back room and then into another room until they were stood facing a brick wall. The man took out a slim piece of wood from his apron pocket and Gabrielle gasped.  
"What? Ain't you never seen a wand before?" The man shook his head and proceeded to tap the brick in sequence.  
Gabrielle watched in stunned silence as the bricks twisted around and moved into place to reveal a busy, shop laden street.  
"Welcome to Diagon Alley." The man smiled. "I get the feeling it's been a while since you were last here."  
"Mmhm." Gabrielle didn't trust herself to speak. She knew if she so much as opened her mouth all that would come out was an excitable squeak.

They moved to the side so they were close to the wall, well out of the bustling shoppers way. The man held up his arm and Gabrielle stared at it, wondering what she was supposed to do.  
"Well, if you want to get to the Ministry you better hold on."  
Nodding, she gripped his forearm tightly as she watched the man wave his wand across them both. She felt the mans arm twist away slightly as an odd tugging sensation was at her navel. Her vision blurred and she was suddenly overwhelmed with a horrible sensation of being squashed. Her left ear popped and she felt like her eyes were going to sink into her skull. Then just as quickly as it had started, the feeling stopped and she landed on her back on a cold black tiled floor.

"You alright?" The man held out a hand which she graciously took. Her stomach flipped and she had to fight hard not to let the contents of it come up. "Well, this is the Ministry. I've got to get back. Will you be OK?"  
"Yeah. Thank you so much...Erm..."  
"Tom."  
"Thanks Tom." Tom smiled before disappearing again. "That's going to take some getting used to." Gabrielle muttered to herself.

She moved forward with the crowd around her, taking in her surroundings. She made her way to the statue that had appeared in the mirror behind the woman in pink. Up close she could finally see what it was. A giant, golden letter M held up by masses of ugly faced, struggling people. Gabrielle brushed her fingers across the face of one of them.  
"Muggles. Where they belong." Came a voice beside her. She turned and saw a tall man with dark hair and eyes.  
"Excuse me?"  
"Muggles." He repeated, staring at her as if she were slow.  
"What's..." Gabrielle trailed off as she spotted a blur of pink behind the man. She side stepped him and moved forward only to find she couldn't find the colour anywhere. Sighing she turned in a full circle, eyes narrowing in concentration. "Ah." She grinned triumphant and sped up her pace until she reached what appeared to be a lift. Inside was the woman from her dreams.

She pushed past two chatting women and climbing inside beside her. The gold cage doors shut and the lift went hurtling backward. Once again Gabrielle was caught off guard and ended up staggering forwards and hitting her face on the barred door. A high pitched giggled came from behind her. "Sorry." She excused, mirroring the women and holding onto one of the golden handles above her. "I'm Gabrielle."  
The woman stared at her hand. "Umbridge. Dolores Umbridge."  
"Nice to meet you..." Gabrielle opened and closed her mouth, unsure of how to go about asking for help. "I've seen you before." She blurted.  
"Well, I have been in the Prophet a few times."  
"The Prophet?" Gabrielle frowned and then shook her head, trying to remember to stay on the right line of though. "No...In a dream,"  
"Oh?" Finally the woman's expression changed from one of indifference to one of mild curiosity.  
"You see. I can't remember anything beyond four years ago. I woke up in a children's home in Whittingham. All I knew was my name and my age."  
"What does that have to do with me dear?"  
"I'm not entirely sure. I got fostered by a family but I started having dreams about things I didn't understand. Then they put me into a mental health facility. Then recently the dreams got more detailed and in one of them you said you had them all,"  
"All? All of what?"  
"You said, you had the memories of the fallen. Then you said you knew who my parents were." Dolores' face fell and Gabrielle knew she'd hit a chord. "You know what I mean." She said it as a statement. There was no way Dolores could deny it, her face had already given her away.  
"Yes...What's your name, dear?"  
"Gabrielle Beckett."  
"Beckett." Dolores whispered. "Come with me."

The lift stopped and the two females stepped out. Gabrielle followed her through into a room whose walls were full of ornamental plates with images of cats on. She had to blink three of four times before she realized she wasn't imagining things, the cats really were moving. Dolores pulled out her wand and in a flash of blue light a cat appeared and sat at her feet.  
"Find Mafalda, tell her to bring the Beckett memory vials." The cat padded off towards and through the closed door. Umbridge sat down behind her desk and smiled sweetly. "Take a seat, dear."

Gabrielle sat down, twiddling her thumbs together. "What's going on?"  
"Those dreams weren't really dreams at all. They were suppressed memories."  
"I knew I wasn't insane."  
"No." Another smile from Umbridge. "A long time ago, after the fall of the dark lord, some radicals decided to stop those who were thought to be on his side."  
"Dark lord? Radicals? I-I don't understand."  
"You will, in time...The radicals removed the memories of people who were faithful to the dark lord. You and your family being some of them. They hoped that without your memories you couldn't help our lord couldn't regain his power."  
"Someone took my memories?"  
"Yes. The memories of all were kept safe here at the ministry. Of course, most are still there. People don't remember anything so they never come to claim them back."  
Gabrielle slumped in her seat. Someone had forcefully taken her memories. And those of her parents. How dare they? And who was this dark lord? Was she really a servant of his?

A soft knock at the door sounded and Umbridge called for whoever it was to enter. A short woman with flyaway grey hair came in. She hurriedly made her way to Umbridge and handed her three glass vials. "That's all, thank you Mafalda." The woman, Mafalda left the room in an equally hurried manner.

Dolores neatly placed each vial on her desk. "These, belong to you."  
Gabrielle stood and moved towards the desk. She reached out to touch one of the vials but stopped herself. "How do I get them back?...In my head?"  
"I'll put them in for you but...I have to warn you. Seeing memories and having them put back are two very different things. Putting them back can be quite painful sometimes."  
"I don't care." Gabrielle's mind was already made. She was getting her memories back if they were the last thing she saw before she died.  
"Right. Well, take a seat." Dolores gestured back to the large leather chair opposite her desk. Once Gabrielle looked comfy, she picked up the first of the three vials and removed the stopper. Using her wand she lifted a strange wispy substance into the air and Gabrielle stared in awe.  
"That's a memory?"  
"This is your childhood. From birth to five years of age."  
"It seems so small."  
"It holds alot. Now, stay still, dear." Dolores moved her wand until the tip was pressed against Gabrielle's temple. She started to mutter words that Gabrielle didn't understand but after a few seconds, an unbelievable pain shot through her head, down her neck and out into her arms and chest. A piercing ringing sound deafened her to Umbridge's chants and her vision went blurred until all was black.

 **Silence.**  
Then her vision returned.  
 _A man in white with some kind of mask around his face. He said something to another woman beside him but Gabrielle didn't understand it. Another movement of the mask from his speech and Gabrielle was moved into an outstretched pair of arms. She blinked a few times to clear her vision and found herself staring up at a woman. The woman had hair the same shade as Gabrielle's and eyes of a chocolate brown. She was smiling, positively beaming down at her. Then a man with ebony black hair that was slightly disheveled and midnight blue eyes appeared at the woman's side. He too was grinning at Gabrielle. He pressed a kiss to the woman's cheek and Gabrielle's vision blurred again._  
 **Silence.  
** _Loud noise, sounds like chatter coming from somewhere. Gabrielle was on her feet but as she looked down she saw a pair of pink sandals covering her toes. She seemed lower to the ground than usual. She moved, unsteady across the room she was in._  
 _"Gabbie." A voice called. Gabrielle turned her head and saw the black haired man crouching down with his arms outstretched. "Come on, darling."_  
 _"Pa!" Gabrielle had spoken before she'd even realized her mouth was open. She was running forward, being enveloped in a tight hug and receiving kisses all over her face. She giggled with a child like tone.  
_ **Silence.  
** _"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you. Happy birthday dear Gabbie! Happy birthday to you!" Gabrielle felt older now. Not much but older still. She was surrounded by children in a sunlit garden. She turned and saw the man and woman either side of her. She recognized them now as her parents._  
 _"Blow out the candles, love." Her mother grinned._  
 _Gabrielle smiled back before turning and blowing out the five candles on her pink flowery cake._  
 **Silence.**

Umbridge's office came back into focus but Gabrielle couldn't feel the chair beneath her. Sitting up, she realized she must've fell to the floor. Her head was pounding, her heart beating loudly in her ears.  
"How are you?"  
"I saw my parents." Was all she could think to say. "What are their names though? I don't remember."  
"You will." Umbridge knelt beside Gabrielle and took the stopper from the second vial. "This is from age five to ten." With the wand on her temple and Umbridge muttering once more, the pain came with the piercing ringing and all went black again.

**Silence.  
** _Gabrielle was sat cross legged on the grass behind her house. She was watching her father shoot sparks of colour from the tip of his wand. Her mother zoomed past on a broom before doubling back and hovering beside her._   
_"Want to come for a ride, darling?" Gabrielle was up on her feet, her father lifting her onto the broom. Her mother wrapped one arm around her middle and kept her other hand tight around the handle. "Hold on tight."_   
_They flew higher and higher into the evening sky. From the sky, Gabrielle's father looked smaller than her hand and that little observation made her giggle like there was no tomorrow.  
_ **Silence.  
** _"Miranda. Miranda darling, wake up." Her dad was knelt on a large double bed with dark grey and silver bedding._   
_"Ma, wake up!" Gabrielle bounced up and down on the end of the bed. She felt older now. Maybe six or seven._   
_Her mothers eyelids fluttered open and Gabrielle dropped to her knees. "Happy birthday mummy!" She cried and thrust a large green packet towards her._   
_"Happy birthday, love." Her father smiled and gave her mother a sweet kiss._   
_"Ewwww!" Gabrielle giggled._   
_"Right, you." Her father moved over and began to tickled her until she couldn't see through her tears of joy.  
_ **Silence.  
** _"One more year till school, love." Gabrielle's mother was sat opposite her. Her father was at the head of the table, nodding with his wife._   
_"Yes. You'll get all the best equipment from Diagon Alley. You can have your own broom if you like. When I went, first years had to use brooms provided for them for their flying lessons. They were a mess."_   
_"Can I get a nimbus?"_   
_"Of course you can sweet heart. That's what I have." Her mother's proud smile made her heart swell._   
_"What are you most looking forward to?" Her father asked._   
_"Getting my wand...Pa?"_   
_"Yes?"_   
_"Will you teach me the bat bogey hex?"_   
_"Of course."_   
_"Gideon." Her mother scolded. "Not straight away, love."_   
_"But-"_   
_"You learn the basics at school and do well and I'll see about letting your father teach you. Alright?"_   
_"OK." Gabrielle sighed but with the wink and mischievous glint in her fathers eyes, her hopes were raised high again._   
**Silence.**

The pounding in Gabrielle's head got worse and so she kept her eyes tightly shut, trying to ignore the pain.  
"Would you like a break?" Came Umbridge's voice.  
"No. I want the last of them."  
Gabrielle heard Umbridge shuffling around and then felt the cool tip of the wand on her temple. The pain was nothing new now and she welcomed the memories with open arms.

 **Silence.  
** _"Cherry and Unicorn tail hair. Ten and three quarter inches, quite flexible."_  
 _Gabrielle gazed up at Mr. Olivander. "Thank you." She beamed, running her fingers along the length of wood. She skipped out of the shop to her fathers side. "Look." She held her wand out for her father to inspect. Her face held all the pride she'd ever felt. Finally, she had her own wand._  
 _"Impressive. I expect you'll be ready for dueling when you come home for summer, eh?" Her father winked._  
 _"If we were allowed to do magic outside of school." Gabrielle huffed and replaced her wand back into it's box with care._  
 _"Don't worry. You'll learn plenty at school and after wards, I'll teach you everything you need to know."_  
 _"I'll be running rings around you by then dad."_  
 _Gideon Beckett chuckled and wrapped his arm around his daughters shoulders, turning her head to face her mother, Miranda Beckett who was walking over to them with a small basket hooked on the crook of her arm._  
 _"A present darling." Gabrielle lifted the lid of the basket and found a small black kitten curled up in a ball, peering up at her over it's tail. "It's a girl...What do you want to call it?"_  
 _"Sally."_  
 _"Sally?"_  
 _"Well Pa always says that Salazar Slytherin was one of the greatest men to ever live. I can't call her by a boys name so Sally is my short female alternative."_  
 _"You do me proud darling." Her father ruffled her hair as they continued with their shopping.  
_ **Silence.  
** _"I'll miss you." Gabrielle was surrounded by other families on a train platform. The sign above read 'Platform 9 3/4.'_  
 _"We'll miss you too darling." Her mother placed a soft kiss on her forehead before pulling her into a tight hug. Her father knelt to join the pair._  
 _"Gabbie, c'mon! We're gonna miss the train!" A dark skinned girl with braided hair called._  
 _"Coming Angie." Gabrielle pecked her parents cheeks in turn, lifted Sally into her arms and took off with her friend to find a seat. She waved to her parents through the window, both thoroughly excited and yet terrified for her first year of Hogwarts.  
_ **Silence.  
** _"Gabrielle Beckett." Minerva McGonagall was stood by a stool, holding the sorting hat high. With shaking hands Gabrielle took timid steps forward._  
 _"Ah, another Beckett." The sorting hat spoke. "You're family have been coming here for years._ **SLYTHERIN** _!"_  
 _A sigh of relief escaped Gabrielle's lips as she ran to join Angie on the Slytherin table.  
_ **Silence.  
** _"Gabbie." Angie nudged Gabrielle's foot with hers. They were older now. 13. "Have you heard what's going around on the train?"_  
 _"No. What?"_  
 _"Harry Potter's coming to Hogwarts."_  
 _"Harry Potter?"_  
 _"Mmmhmm. Apparently."_  
 _"No way. No ones seen him since you-know-who fell. Dad told me so."_  
 _"I heard he lived with his muggle aunt." Angie said matter of factly._  
 _"You mean The Boy Who Lived had a mudblood mother?"_  
 _"If rumors are true."_  
 _"Bloody hell."  
_ **Silence.  
** _Gabrielle's fifth year at Hogwarts and Harry Potter was in his third. The school was playing host to the dementors of azkaban. This had set Gabrielle's nerves on edge and so she wrote to her father. Of course, Gideon being a Ministry Official knew all about the dementors and assured his daughter not to worry._  
 _Summer came and Gabrielle happily returned home. They had tickets to a quidditch match in two weeks time and she couldn't wait. Her first real quidditch game with her mother watching instead of playing. She'd tried out for the Slytherin team in first year but she wasn't quite fast enough, regardless of the quality of her broom. Instead she focused her energies on potions. It was her favorite lesson and Professor Snape was a friend of her parents._  
 _But as she and her father returned home from the train station, there front door was ajar. With wands draw and hearts thumping in their chests they went inside. Gideon had tried to make his daughter wait outside but she was convinced they'd be safer if they stuck together._  
 _"Miranda?" Gideon whispered._  
 _"Ma?"_  
 _"Gid? Gabs?" Came a soft call from the living room._  
 _Father and daughter moved together in silence. The living room that had once been Gabrielle's favorite room had changed. It had been a dark but cozy area with large leather couches and a huge fireplace. Gabrielle had made the window seat her own with deep plum coloured cushions and a blanket of cerulean blue. She was often found curled up there with a book or fast asleep with her head resting against the glass. She always sat there during storms, watching the droplets of rain race past her eyes._  
 _Now it seemed cold and empty. There was no fire lit and her mother was sprawled in between the sofas. Blood was coming from her temple._  
 _"Miranda." Gideon gasped, dropping his wand and falling to his knees. He cradles his wife in his arms. "What happened?"_  
 _"She can't remember." A voice came from the shadowed corner of the room, beside a book shelf. A stocky man emerged, wand poised and Gabrielle pointed hers right back. "You'll never help him return. Not ever."_  
 _"_ Stupefy _!" Gabrielle sent the man flying into the shelves and books fell on top of him. Then she felt a large pair of hand grab the tops of her arms and hold her in a vice like grip._  
 _Gideon was back on his feet, wand in hand. "Not my daughter!_ Avada _-"_  
 _"_ Crucio _!"_  
 _Gideon writhed around in agony on the floor, his scream filling Gabrielle's ears._  
 _"NO! Stop it, please!"_  
 **Silence.**


	4. Umbridge's Office

**Title -** _Finding A Way Home  
_ **Chapter title -** _Umbridge's Office  
_ **Author -** _OblivionsGarden  
_ **Genre -** _Romance/Drama  
_ **Disclaimer -** _I do not own Harry Potter, books or films, in anyway shape or form. I only own my original characters and the plot for this fic. For this chapter I own, Gabrielle._

* * *

"I don't understand." Gabrielle was still lay on the hard wood floor of Umbridge's office. "Everything stopped."  
"That's when they took your memories." Umbridge informed as she moved to sit down behind her desk. "You say you woke up in a children's home in Whittingham?"  
"Yes." Gabrielle slowly moved until she managed to climb back into the chair. Her head was pounding.  
"I expect it would've been a few days after the incident. They put you with muggles to ensure you wouldn't be near anything magical or anyone who knew of the dark lord."  
"Vold-"  
" _DON'T_!" Dolores screeched before letting out a cough and resuming her calm manner. "His name is traced now. We'll have death eaters swarming the place if you say it."  
"Right. Sorry." Gabrielle pushed her hair away from her face. The throbbing headache was slowly ebbing away. "Why did I see you in my dreams though? I don't remember you."  
"I knew your father. We worked together so you probably saw me around a few times." Umbridge produced two cups of tea and pushed one across her desk toward Gabrielle. "You won't recognize people straight away. They'll seem familiar but you'll have to think very hard or be reminded to actually find specific memories of them."  
Gabrielle nodded and sipped at her tea, internally gagging on the amount of sugar that was in it. She didn't make a face though, after everything Dolores had done for her she didn't think it'd be polite. "Thank you." She said in a soft voice. "But...What do I do now? What happened to my mum and dad?" Dolores went quite, "What? Where are they?"  
"I'm afraid, they lived as muggles for two years and then..."  
"What?" Gabrielle put her tea back on the desk.  
"There was a crash...You mother died on impact and your father died a few days later in hospital."

Gabrielle's fingers gripped the arms of the chair tightly until her knuckles went white. She was filled with both sadness and hate. She'd lost her parents all because of those who took their memories. If they hadn't, her parents would still be in the wizarding world, safe and sound. _Alive_.  
"Where are they? The ones who did it?"  
"Did what, dear?"  
"Took the memories."  
"We don't know. I'd guess they were on the run, avoiding trouble at the Ministry."  
"I want them."  
"The snatchers will get them, but you're the only one who know who they are. For all I know they could already be dead."  
"Snatchers?"  
"Groups of Askaban escapees. Catching half blood, and mud bloods and bringing them to the Ministry for money."  
"Do you need any specific skills?" Gabrielle's mind worked in over drive, making a plan to catch the ones who did this to her.  
"You want to become a snatcher?"  
"If I don't, I'll only be scouring the world until I find them regardless. It'd probably be helpful if I had others more skilled than I am."  
"Well...I have a group that are in need of a new recruit but they aren't set to return until the morning." Dolores stood and once again produced what Gabrielle now recognized as her patronus. "Tell Mafalda to bring the Beckett belongings."

The two women waited in silence. Dolores ensuring her pens were in a neat, straight line and Gabrielle silently arguing with herself in her head. Her angrier half of her brain was over ruling the side that just wanted to curl up into a ball and cry herself to sleep.  
Once again, Mafalda came into the room with a large box in her arms. She placed it on Dolores' desk and left again.

"These are your things that were deemed too important to leave at your house."  
Gabrielle stood and opened the box before taking out some of the items, one by one. The first was a wand. " _Cherry and Unicorn tail hair. Ten and three quarter inches, quite flexible_." She placed it neatly on the desk. The next were two more wands. "Are these my mum and dads?" Dolores nodded. She placed them beside her own and continued to rifle. Dolores silently left her office to make some arrangements. The box was full of random trinkets and books that had belonged to her parents. The only thing that was hers was her wand, a necklace and her cats collar. She assumed Sally must've ran off or been set free. She didn't even begin to think about the possibility she could be dead. The necklace was of a snake with a green bead next to it. Her father had bought it for her during the summer of her first year at Hogwarts. " _His little Slytherin princess_."  
The only other thing in the box that would come to any use of her now, was a small golden key. She knew it must be for her vault in Gringotts. She wasn't entirely sure how much was in there but she knew it was enough for her live on, given that her family had been fairly well off. After all, her father had a high post at the Ministry and her mother was a famous quidditch chaser.

Dolores returned to her office ten minutes later. She sat back down at her desk, noticing that the box was sealed up and on the floor by Gabrielle's chair. Gabrielle herself was holding her wand and a key.  
"Ah, your Gringotts key."  
"I figured I'd be needing it."  
"Yes..." Dolores surveyed the girl for a moment. She could see the sorrow in her eyes but the burning anger was at the forefront. And as Dolores knew, that makes for a very worthy snatcher. "I think you should head to Diagon Alley today. Visit Gringotts, maybe buy yourself some new clothes...Stay in the Leaky Cauldron tonight. Then come back here in the morning and I'll introduce you to the group of snatchers you'll be joining."  
"OK."  
"Would you like someone to come with you?"  
"No, I think I'll be fine on my own. My head doesn't hurt anymore." Gabrielle got the feeling that Umbridge didn't want to be around her anymore. Not that she minded, she wanted to be alone.

* * *

After visiting Gringotts and realizing she was a lot better off than expected, Gabrielle took a slow walk around Diagon Alley, wondering in and out of shops. She visited a few clothes shops, given that the only clothes she currently had were the ones she was wearing. She reveled in buying herself dark colours and stompy boots. Her foster parents would've been cursing to themselves had they known. She visited Weasley's Wizard Wheezes which seemed to be the busiest place in the whole Alley. She didn't buy anything but loved alot of the products and planned to come back one day. She stood outside Ollivanders for a while, just staring up and remembering meeting her father out here and being so proud of her wand. ( _Which was now safely tucked into the waistband of her jeans_.) She stopped for a bottle of pumpkin juice at Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor before heading back to The Leaky Cauldron, laden with her bags of clothes and a few spell books she'd purchased, just to refresh her memory once more.

"Back again?" Tom called from the bar.  
"Ah, yes. I need a room." Gabrielle placed her bags on the floor and dug into her pocket for some money. "I have the right currency this time, too." Tom smiled and went off to get her a key.  
"Third floor, room 32." He said sliding a key across the bar. He took the right amount of money from the pile and moved to serve another customer.

Gabrielle took her bags and went off to find her room. Once she'd settled in, she returned to the bar for a butter beer and a nice hot dinner. She stayed in the bar for a long time, well into the evening. She knew that when she went to her bed to try and sleep the memories would come back and she would have nightmares. Nightmares of her parents death.  
How had this happened? All this information in the space of a day...Anyone else would've probably been defeated by the pain. But Gabrielle knew she had to keep going, if for nothing other than to get her parents revenge.

* * *

Gabrielle lay awake for most of the night until eventually an uneasy sleep over took her. She awoke, in a cold sweat in the early morning, having seen her parents corpses in her mind. She showered and dressed in some of her new clothes. She figured she should wear something appropriate for snatching and so settled on a pair of dark grey jeans, a long sleeved black top with a pair of grip soled boots. She left her hair in it's usual disheveled state and pulled on her new long black mac coat. Flicking to a marked page in one of her spell books she put a hidden extension charm on her bag and piled all her belongings inside. The necklace her father had given her was safely clasped around her neck and her wand was tucked into the side of her boot, underneath her jeans. She knew it wasn't the most useful of places to keep it, but for now it's where it was staying.  
She took her bag and returned to the bar, where Tom was serving breakfast. She placed her key on the counter and bid the kind man farewell. From Diagon Alley, she apparated to the Ministry. ( _Taking three tries, having arrived inside Madam Malkins and then back in The Leaky Cauldron_.) From here, she went straight to a lift only to become stumped when she realized she didn't know where Umbridge's office is. A few other people climbed in with her and she decided to see where she ended up.

It was five minutes before she recognized a door, far opposite her. She pushed her way out of the lift and went straight to the door and gave it a gentle knock. The eye that was embedded into the wood swung around to stare at her for a few seconds before the door finally swung open. Gabrielle went inside, nodding in acknowledgment to Dolores who smiled up at her.  
"Tea?"  
"No thanks." She politely declined as she took a seat in the leather armchair.  
"They'll be here soon."

With another nod, Gabrielle occupied her self by picking at her nails. Dolores drank her tea as she watched the girl in front of her. The anger was still there, subdued to her eyes. Dolores knew that the most dangerous of anger wasn't the full throttle shouting and blazing anger but it was the quietly hidden away, silently growing anger. Perfect for snatching and exacting revenge. Gabrielle Beckett was going to prove quite useful.

A knock at the door broke through each females reverie. Dolores looked at something on her desk and quietly said "Come in." The door opened and a group of darkly dressed men came in. The two women stood to greet them. Altogether there were four men. One was wearing a black beanie hat and had black kohl smudged around his eyes, one was tall and lean with messy, short, brown hair and piercing, icy, blue eyes. The third man who was stood toward the back of the group was taller and heavier built than the others with grey hair and an animalistic appearance and the fourth man, stood at the front was tall, with long hair tied back in a ribbon and was wearing a long leather jacket with checked trousers and military style boots. It was this man who stepped forward and stared at the young girl before him with a curious expression on his face.  
He opened his mouth to speak, one word. "Gabrielle?"

* * *

 


	5. The Snatcher Camp

**Title -** _Finding A Way Home  
_ **Chapter title -** _The Snatcher Camp  
_ **Author -** _OblivionsGarden  
_ **Genre -** _Romance/Drama  
_ **Disclaimer -** _I do not own Harry Potter, books or films, in anyway shape or form. I only own my original characters and the plot for this fic. For this chapter I own, Gabrielle, Angela Pax, Barks and Tyler._

* * *

"Gabrielle?" All sound seemed to stop as the pair stared at each other. Gabrielle was about a half a head shorter than the man who's brows were furrowed in confusion. "You're back." He said in a soft voice. "Where did you disappear to?"  
"Wait." Gabrielle rubbed her temples, trying hard to think of who this man, who clearly knew her, was. No memories surfaced and she looked back into his stormy grey eyes with a expression of sympathy. "I don't know who you are." His eyes held a sadness that Gabrielle hadn't ever seen before and she felt all the more guilty. She knew it wasn't her fault that she couldn't remember him and yet she felt as though she should be trying harder to find him in her mind.  
"Gabrielle was a victim of the radicals four years ago." Umbridge squeaked.  
"The radicals?" Anger shot through the mans face and his hands clenched into fists.  
"When you get back to camp, you can help her remember...Tell her things you did together, memories you shared. It'll soon come back."  
"Back to camp?" The animal like man at the back of the group finally spoke up. His voice was deep and rough as though he'd smoked one two many cigars.  
"Yes. Gabrielle has a new found anger and determination for those who took her memories." The four men looked at her.  
"Because of them my parents are dead." She mumbled.

Umbridge conjured a strip of red fabric from the tip of her wand which she then tied around the top of Gabrielle's arm.  
"Sign of the snatcher." Umbridge explained, nodding to the four men who also had red fabric bands around their arms. "Now, I have a hearing to get to, so you can tell Gabrielle everything she knows at your camp. Alright?" She plucked a manila folder from her desk and handed it to one of the men. "Some more that are known to be roaming around England somewhere."  
"Right." Said the man who still hadn't taken his eyes off Gabrielle. "Come on, then."

Gabrielle followed the men out of Umbridge's office, into the lift, then out into the main entrance room of the Ministry. The man with checked trousers turned and lifted his arm infront of her. She frowned at him.  
"Well, you don't know where camp is do you? Side long apparation."  
"Oh, right. Yeah." Gabrielle blushed a little at her own stupidity and wrapped her fingers around the mans wrist.

* * *

The camp was a decent sized clearing in the middle of the woods with two tents and a few logs which had been placed around what appeared to be a long dead fire.  
"Right, we can't be doin' any jobs today since we've got a newbie to show the ropes. But first things first...Dinner. Barks, get somethin' cookin'. I need a word with Gabs." The man pulled Gabrielle along by her elbow, into one of the tents.

It was much bigger than it appeared on the outside, but this didn't surprise her. There were two beds on opposite sides of the tent, a dining area and a living area with two tatty looking arm chairs. The man sat in one of these chairs and gestured for Gabrielle to do the same.  
"So you can't remember me then?" He lifted on leg to rest over one of the arms as his back rested against the other.  
"No. Sorry." Gabrielle shrugged. "What's your name? It might help."  
"Scabior." The man paused briefly before adding, "Sebastian Antioch Scabior."  
Gabrielle frowned. The name was familiar but she still didn't know why. "How did we meet?"  
"Hogwarts. I was in third year when you came into first."  
"But how did we actually meet?"  
"Well, we said 'ello a few times but we didn't meet properly until a few weeks after the start of the year. During a quidditch match. I was behind you goin' up the steps of the Slytherin stand. You weren't payin' attention and slipped off a step. I caught you. Then I sat with you."  
Suddenly, the memory was at the forefront of Gabrielle's mind.

_Angela Pax was Gabrielle's best friend. They met a few months before their first year of school in Diagon Alley. With their parents permission they stopped by Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor at dinner time. And since then they'd been inseparable. They were thrilled when they were sorted into the same house._

_Gabrielle had tried out for the quidditch team, in a hopes to live up to her mothers reputation. Alas, she was just not quite the quidditch type. She was more of a charms and potions girl. Angela too had tried out, more for moral support than anything else. She was relieved when she wasn't chosen as beater. She knew she'd end up with an injury and she hated the sight of blood._

_So, in high spirits of their first quidditch match at Hogwarts, the girls made their way up the steps of the Slytherin stand._   
_"Did you see the state of Deana though?" Angie was saying. "It was only practice and she still ended up with a broken arm and a fractured jaw!"_   
_"Thank god we didn't make the team then." Gabrielle smiled and tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ear. Angie pulled a hair band from her wrist and held it out. Gabrielle took it was a smile and started to tie her hair up whilst the two continued to ramble on about the dangers the quidditch team were facing and how certain they were that they were bound to beat Hufflepuff._

_Then, as Gabrielle lifted her left foot onto the next step, she didn't quite put enough of it onto the wooden surface. Her foot slammed back down onto the step below and she fell straight into the person behind her, who grunted as she hit him._   
_She blushed a furious red as Angie stood, hand over mouth, trying her hardest not to laugh out loud at her friend. The stranger pushed Gabrielle back onto her feet and she smiled at him. His hair just reached his jaw bone but he'd messily pushed it back, away from his face. His eyes held a glint of mischief and his uniform was unkempt._   
_"Sorry. I wasn't paying attention."_   
_"I noticed."_   
_"Well...Uh, thanks..."_   
_"Scabior." Scabior held out a hand._   
_"Gabrielle." She shook his hand and then continued on up the stairs._

_It was only when they sat down that Gabrielle realized this Scabior boy was sat beside her. They were lucky enough to have got to the front of the stand._   
_"So, what year are you?"_   
_"Third. You're first aren't you?" Gabrielle nodded. "How are you findin' it so far, then?"_   
_"Alright. Some things my parents had told me about. Other stuff is pretty hard though."_   
_"It gets easier." He smiled._   
_"Really?"_   
_"Yeah...Well, dependin' on your abilities o'course."_

Just one simple staircase accident and a brief conversation before the first match of the year, was the start of what Gabrielle now remembered was a beautiful friendship. Of course, she couldn't yet remember the specific memories from years gone past but the feeling of familiarity was warm in the pit of her stomach.  
"It's nice to know someone again." She smiled.  
"You remember then?"  
"I remember meeting you and that we were close friends. I'm sure the rest will come soon enough."  
Scabior smiled before standing up. "Well, we better get you used to the basics of defense. You remember any of that?"  
"Um...Bits."

Gabrielle followed Scabior out of the tent and past the logs before he turned to his men.  
"Basic spell practice, for the lady."  
"Shouldn't she know all that stuff?"  
"Didn't you 'ear Umbridge? She had 'er memories removed. So we're gonna refresh, 'em." Scabior turned back to Gabrielle. "This is Barks." He pointed to the man who had just spoken, the one who she'd been identifying as the messy haired, tall and lean one."That's Greyback." He gestured to the tall, animal like man. "Werewolf...If you were wonderin'." Gabrielle nodded. "And that's Tyler." Tyler was the one who had kohl smudged around his eyes and a beanie hat. He was shorter than the other men but Gabrielle imagined he'd make up for it in some other way.

"Right. Disarmin' would be good to start with." Scabior drew his wand and pointed it at Gabrielle who quickly ducked down to retrieve her own wand from inside her boot. "Odd place to keep it."  
"More comfortable than sticking it in my jeans. I forgot to buy a holder whilst I was in Diagon Alley."  
"Well. you can get one when we pass through some other day." Once again he pointed his wand. "Remember this spell?"  
Gabrielle's eyebrows furrowed for a moment before her eyes sparkled. "Expelliarmus." Scabior's wand flew from his hand and Barks caught it.  
"Good."  
"I bought some spell books yesterday, to remember things."  
"Alright then. Why don't you try an' stun Tyler."  
Tyler sighed but stood still as Gabrielle muttered a "Stupefy."  
"Good...You know the unforgivable curses?" Barks asked.  
"I do."  
"Well, make sure you keep 'em in mind for captives, eh?"  
"Sure." Gabrielle nodded. She didn't really plan on torturing anyone who didn't truly deserve it. She was saving those spells for the 'radicals'.

Scabior turned to Barks. "Dinner?"  
"Sausages and toast."  
"Is that it?"  
"It's all we've got left. We need to get some supplies."  
"We'll go in the mornin'. And you," He turned to Gabrielle. "Can get yourself a wand belt. No good goin' into a duel and then 'ave to wait whilst you get your wand out."  
"Course."  
Gabrielle sat down on a log beside Tyler, eating her two sausages and three slices of slightly blackened toast.  
"Foods usually better." He mumbled. "Like Barks said...We need some supplies."  
"I don't mind. I'm not a fussy eater." Gabrielle smiled and Tyler returned it.

Every now and then she looked up at Scabior. She was trying to remember more about him, but the memories just refused to come. For some reason there were alot of words flying around her head the she associated with him but she didn't know why. She made a mental note to ask and see if he had any idea before returning to her now only luke warm food.

* * *

 


	6. Scabior's Tent

**Title -** _Finding A Way Home  
_ **Chapter title -** _Scabior's Tent  
_ **Author -** _OblivionsGarden  
_ **Genre -** _Romance/Drama  
_ **Disclaimer -** _I do not own Harry Potter, books or films, in anyway shape or form. I only own my original characters and the plot for this fic. For this chapter I own, Gabrielle, Barks and Tyler._

* * *

Gabrielle slept in Sacbior's tent, in the bed opposite his. The other three snatchers shared the other tent. As she lay in bed, staring at the pale cloth above her, she thought hard regarding the man snoring on the other side of the room. For some reason, when she thought of him she thought of a horrible stinging sensation at the back of her nose. It wasn't until she finally let sleep take her that she could remember why.

_Gabrielle, the well behaved first year was wondering along a corridor when she spotted the boy she sat beside at the quidditch match. He stopped when he heard her footsteps and turned to face her. She noticed the sigh of relief when he saw who it was._   
_"Gabs." He smiled. She frowned a little. He was the first person at school to give her a nickname and she hardly knew him._   
_"Scabior." She nodded and went to continue on her way._   
_"Where you off?" He called._   
_"Common room. I have a potions essay to finish."_   
_"Fancy coming to Hogsmeade for the afternoon?" Gabrielle turned and saw Scabior leant against a statue of a one-eyed witch. "I'll have you back early enough to finish your essay."_   
_"How are you going to get out of school? You're only a third year."_   
_Scabior glanced up at the statue and then back at Gabrielle. "I have my ways." Gabrielle hesitated. She glanced from Scabior to the direction she'd been heading. Being a first year she wanted to make a good impression upon the teachers but the temptation to sneak out and do something bad was overwhelming. Her mother had always said she inherited her fathers mischievous streak. "Come on, before Peeves finds us here."_   
_"Alright."_

_Gabrielle moved back to Scabior and watched as he pulled out his wand, tapped the witches hump and whispered "Dissendium." The hump opened up to reveal a darkened passageway._   
_"Where does this lead?"_   
_"Honeydukes." Scabior held out a hand and helped Gabrielle to climb into the hump. Once he'd climbed in behind her, he lit the tip of his wand and closed the hump behind him._

_Once up and out of Honeydukes, (without being seen which was harder than it sounds,) the school skipping pair headed to the Hogshead. The people in_ _there didn't wonder why two young kids were wondering around. They both bought a butter beer and sat by the window._

_"Why did you ask me to come with you?" Gabrielle asked as she took a sip of her drink,_   
_"I come out here quite alot. It's nice to get away from school for an hour or two, I just thought, that since I'd quite like some company for a change and you looked slightly stressed about your work, we could do each other a favour."_   
_"I wasn't stressed." Gabrielle defended. She knew it was a blatant lie but that didn't stop her telling it. She was more than stressed. Her essays were hard and her books were heavy and she had a habit of not asking for help when she needed it. If she couldn't do it by herself then she wasn't doing it._   
_"Well, you were definitely more...Er, subdued than at the quidditch match." Scabior smirked._   
_"What do you mean?"_   
_"Screaming every time Slytherin scored."_   
_"It's match etiquette. You support your team."_   
_"Is it match etiquette to burst someones eardrum?"_   
_"Don't be so dramatic. At least I got into the spirit of things. You sat there with a face like a smacked behind." Gabrielle smiled. She was glad Scabior had invited her out. It was this kind of light hearted banter that made her less worried about school._   
_"How rude." Scabior feigned hurt, holding a hand over his heart. "I think I shall have to finish my drink and be on my way."_   
_Gabrielle snorted and ended up with her butter beer up her nose. She grimaced as she coughed and spluttered. Scabior clapped a hand to her back, half concerned and half amused._   
_"Ah, my nose stings now." Gabrielle wrinkled said nose and coughed one last time. "Don't make me laugh whilst I'm drinking."_   
_"Don't drink whilst I'm being hilarious." Scabior winked._

"Oi. You gonna get up or what?"  
Gabrielle's eyes shot open to see Scabior staring down at her. She remembered where she was and sat up, rubbing the sleep from her eyes.  
"Do you remember when I was in first year and you and I snuck out through the one eyed witches hump and I ended up with butter beer up my nose?"  
Scabior stared and the corners of his mouth twitched up into a smile. "You're remembering."  
"I dreamt about it." Gabrielle smiled and rolled off the bed.  
"Dress quickly. We're heading into the nearest town to get some food and supplies."  
"And a wand belt?"  
"And a wand belt." Scabior confirmed, smiling to himself as he left the tent so she could change in private,

When she was dressed she headed out into the camp fire area and sat down on one of the logs beside Greyback. He turned his attention towards her and a menacing smirk graced his features.  
"Oi." Both Greyback and Gabrielle's heads whipped around to face Scabior. "Don't you get lookin' at 'er like that. She's part of the team not dinner."  
Gabrielle, who had been oblivious to Greyback's look was now startled. Wide-eyed she stood and moved to sit by Tyler. Tyler chuckled and handed her a slice of toast.  
"He won't hurt you. He did the same to Barks and me when we joined. He usually works up an appetite by not eating this rubbish."  
"Appetite? For what?" Gabrielle frowned.  
"For who, you mean. If we have captives that aren't particularly important or we happen to stumble across a muggle who sees too much, Greyback gets 'em." Tyler shrugged. "Not that we want to, you understand. It just keeps him happy and when he's happy he's less likely to cause us any trouble."  
"Yeah. And he can have a really sweet and gentle temperament when he wants to." Scabior sat down beside Gabrielle. When she raised on eyebrow at him he smiled. "Honestly. He can. He can get a bit over protective though."  
"Right. I'll keep that in mind."

* * *

Gabrielle stuck to walking between Scabior and Tyler. Greyback gave her the creeps and Barks was a silent soul who liked to stare. She knew Scabior from school and Tyler felt like a brother already, just from his kindness and welcoming nature.  
"Remember anything else yet?" Scabior asked.  
"Not yet. I have words and things I associate with you but I haven't a clue why."  
"Well what? I might be able to help."  
"Um...Vampires is a prominent one."  
"Halloween during my fourth year. Your second. Hogwarts had a Halloween ball and we went together."  
"As vampires."  
"The muggle ideal of vampires, yes."  
Gabrielle started to giggle. "I can remember. You used a spell to make your hair black and slicked it back."  
Tyler chuckled. "Didn't think you'd be the type for fancy dress."  
"I was fourteen." Scabior smiled. "You got your first detention that night as well."  
"You didn't get a detention till second year?" Tyler stared in disbelief.  
"I was a good kid. I still am." Gabrielle defended.  
"You're a snatcher. The only worse thing is a death eater. Before you get to _you know who_ himself."  
"Yeah well...Times have changed." Gabrielle shrugged, turning back to Scabior. "Because of the Forbidden forest, right?"  
"Right."  
Gabrielle smiled as once again, a long lost memory swam up through the depths of her mind to show her the things she'd forgotten.

_"C'mon." Scabior was pulling Gabrielle along by her hand. Gabrielle let out a loud laugh at how ridiculous Scabior looked, in his sharp suit, cape, fangs and slicked back hair. She slapped a hand over her mouth, trying to stay silent._   
_Soon enough they were wondering through the forbidden forest. Gabrielle was a little nervous, having heard the rumours that surrounded the place but Scabior gave her a sense of security. She shivered as the cold night air whipped around her bare shoulders. Noticing this, Scabior removed his cape and draped it around her arms. She smiled in thanks._   
_"What are we doing out here anyway?" She whispered._   
_"It's fun isn't it?" Gabrielle frowned. "Don't tell me that every rule you've broken with me you haven't enjoyed."_   
_"Of course I do. But this is the Forbidden Forest. It's creepy."_   
_"Not as creepy as the sight of you when you've been woken up at three in the morning." Gabrielle slapped his arm. "That's what you get for falling asleep over a charms essay in the common room." Scabior chuckled._   
_"There was no need to set off a firework above my head."_   
_"And there was no need for the bat bogey hex, but there's no need for a lot of things in the world."_

_Scabior sat down and leant his back against a tree. Gabrielle sat beside him, wrapping his cape tightly around her. She stared up at the few stars she could see through the dense greenery above her. The two sat in silence for a while until they could hear footsteps approaching. Scabior jumped up, wand drawn, ready for a fight. He kept one hand on Gabrielle's waist, making sure she stayed behind him._   
_A large mass approached and both students heaved a sigh of relief when Hagrid the groundskeeper emerged._   
_"What you two doin' out 'ere? Go on, to bed, both of ye."_   
_Scabior pulled Gabrielle along with him, glaring back at the half giant. "Bloody oaf." He muttered._   
_"What's wrong with you? At least he didn't give us a detention."_   
_"He still spoilt the evening."_   
_"Well I had a lovely time as it were." Scabior frowned but draped an arm around her shoulders. And then he grimaced._   
_"What up?"_   
_"Mrs. Norris is whats up."_   
_Gabrielle turned to see the feline staring up at them. Filch soon followed, a malicious grin on his face._   
_"Students...Out of bed...You are in trouble."_

"Why did you get so angry with Hagrid?" Gabrielle asked, breaking our of her reverie.  
"Eh?"  
"When Hagrid found us, you got really annoyed. It wasn't even him who gave us detention."  
"Oh...Uh...Tell you what, you tell me." Scabior smirked as they entered a muggle shopping centre.  
"How exactly?"  
"I told you before. Just remember." Scabior picked up a basket and handed it to Barks.  
"That's easier said than done." Gabrielle huffed. "Can I have a clue?"  
"No, but you can have a job...Keep an eye on Tyler. He likes muggle sweets."

* * *

 


	7. Shopping Centre

**Title -** _Finding A Way Home  
_ **Chapter title -** _Shopping Centre_  
 **Author -** _OblivionsGarden_  
 **Genre -** _Romance/Drama_  
 **Disclaimer -** _I do not own Harry Potter, books or films, in anyway shape or form. I only own my original characters and the plot for this fic. For this chapter I own, Gabrielle, Barks and Tyler._

* * *

"Gabs?" Scabior poked his head around the side of a display, noticing Gabrielle looking between two different brands of bread.  
"Mmm?"  
"Get the green loaf." He instructed. "Where's Tyler?" Gabrielle replaced one loaf as she glanced around her and shrugged. Scabior took the other loaf from her hands with a sigh. "Get down the isle where the keep the sweets and bring 'im back 'ere will you?"  
"Oakie Doke." Gabrielle wondered off through the shopping centre. A few people glanced at her dark dress sense and the red band tied around her arm. Although she knew they didn't know who or what she was, she realized she must give off an intimidating sense since everyone around her was giving her a wide birth.

As Scabior had predicted, Tyler was in the sweet isle, with three bags clutched in his hands. Gabrielle smiled and shook her head.  
"Scabior wants you to go back."  
"In a sec...I can't decided between chocolate peanuts or chocolate raisins."  
"Peanuts...Then you can share with me." Gabrielle smiled as Tyler replaced the raisins on the shelf an followed her back toward Scabior who was trying to get Greyback to wait outside.

"Fenrir, that little brat is crying. Just wait outside and I'll get you a bloody steak alright?"  
"I want two...Bloody kids." The half breed muttered, turning his back on the group. Tyler and Gabrielle snickered as they dropped their sweets into the basket Barks was holding.  
"What's that?" Scabior frowned.  
"Sweets." Gabrielle shrugged. "You sent one sweet tooth to find the other." She smiled.  
Scabior rolled his eyes. "I forgot about that. You were mad for Honeydukes...I believe Pepper Imps and Sugar Quills were your favorites."  
Gabrielle smiled. "You can remember things about me that I can't." Tyler smirked and nudged Scabior with his elbow. Scabior glared at him.

As the remaining four snatchers finished their shopping, Gabrielle noticed two security guards were following her in a manner that they clearly thought was discreet. As she made her way down the home wares isle, the pair of them close behind, she turned on her heel and stopped dead.  
"Why are you following me?" She demanded.  
"Gabrielle? Gabrielle Beckett?" The taller, plumper male asked.  
Gabrielle faltered. She'd never been to this town before, how on earth did anyone know her name. "No, sorry. You must be thinking of someone else." She lied.  
"No...It is you. From Whittingham." The shorter man said, taking a step forward.  
Gabrielle glanced over her shoulder and saw Scabior and Barks paying for their shopping. Tyler was just heading out of the door. "Excuse me?" She frowned.  
"You escaped Whittingham...Dear, we're sure you are very scared but it's OK now. We're here to help."  
"I'm not scared alright. I do- Back off!" She shouted when the taller man tried to grab her wrist. He jumped and stepped back.  
"Just relax. We're going to take you back home safe and sound."  
"Somethin' wrong love?" Scabior was at Gabrielle's side, having heard her shout from the tills.  
"No. These people think I'm someone called Gabrielle."  
"Gabrielle? Who's she then?" Scabior took the unsaid hint and played along with the charade.  
"Oh...Sorry sir." The guards scuttled off, clearly worried by Scabior's lean form. "What was that about?"  
"They knew I'd escaped from Whittingham...Somehow."  
"Whittingham?"  
"Uh...You don't know where I've been in the muggle world do you?" Scabior shrugged, "I was put into a mental health clinic cause they thought I was crazy when I started talking about magic." Gabrielle frowned, trying to figure out how on earth the guards had known who she was.

"Oi." Greyback was beckoning the group over to him from the door, Tyler stood just behind him, a worried expression on his face.  
"Come on, let's see what's happening." Scabior placed his arm around Gabrielle's shoulders and pulled her along. "What's up?" He asked of Fenrir when they arrived outside, Barks carrying their shopping. Greyback lead them a little up the road to where part of the wall was full of posters and advertisements.

Gabrielle gasped. There, smack bang in the middle was a large blue poster bearing her face. A photo she'd had taken at the start of the year for her Whittingham records. Beneath her picture it read,  
'Gabrielle Beckett. 19 years. Excaped from Whittingham Asylum, two days ago. Any information, please call Doctor Fletcher on...'  
"Shit."  
"Yeah." Scabior nodded and tore the poster from the wall. "When we're going into muggle town, we change your face."  
"Transfiguration?" Gabrielle asked. She'd never been very good at that subject. Scabior nodded. "I'm not very good at that."  
"I'll help." Tyler offered. "My best subject at school...Before I stopped going."  
Gabrielle chuckled as they made their way back to the nearest apparition point and headed back to camp.

"Oh crap." Gabrielle said when she landed on her bum beside Scabior, who she'd accidentally pulled over.  
"What?"  
"I didn't get a wand belt."  
"Oh yeah...Come on, we'll nip to Diagon Alley." Scabior held out his hand and quick as a flash the pair of them had left camp again.

As they arrived in Diagon Alley, Gabrielle's vision blurred until she saw the alley as it had been years before when she was just twelve years old.

_She was waking along, doing her school shopping whilst her parents had a drink in Florean's. As she snuck glances in shop windows she walked straight into someones chest and ended up falling onto her backside._   
_"Oh, sorry." She mumbled._   
_"Well...That's the second time you've fallen for me."_   
_Looking up Gabrielle saw Scabior, her friend from her first year at Hogwarts. She smiled as he pulled her to her feet. "You're fairly egotistical, aren't you?"_   
_"Your fairly clumsy...No one's perfect love." He winked. "School shopping?" He nodded to the books in her arms and the new set of scales in her bag._   
_"Yep. Mum and dad and waiting in Florean's."_   
_"Need a hand?"_   
_"Haven't you done your shopping?"_   
_"Did it early this morning, just managed to avoid the rush."_

_They started walking together, occasionally popping into a shop to get something on Gabrielle's second year list. Their routine stopped however, when Gabrielle smelt the sweet fragrance coming from a nearby sweet shop._   
_"Oh lets get some sweets." She grabbed Scabior's hands and pulled him into the warm shop. She let him follow her around whilst she stared wide eyes at the brightly coloured treats around her. She bought some imps and quills and a few rainbow coloured lollipops before she finally left._   
_"Quite the sweet tooth you've got there, eh?"_   
_"Want a lick?" Gabrielle pulled one of the rainbow lollipops from it's packaging. With a smile Scabior let her push it past his lips and savored the flavor. When she pulled it back she placed it straight into her own mouth. Scabior smiled, content that she felt so comfortable with him. Most other girls either just wanted to be seen with Scabior, the dangerous Slytherin or avoided him at all costs._   
_Gabrielle frowned as she tasted the lollipop. There was a faint hint of another taste around it, other than the sweet candyfloss that it was supposed to be. A faint coffee was around with something else, something deeper and smokier. She didn't even know if something could taste smokey but that was how she identified it. She side glanced at Scabior, wondering if that was his taste on there._

"Gabs, come on." Scabior shook Gabrielle's shoulders and she snapped back into reality.  
"Woah, sorry. I was remembering."  
"Oh?"  
"Yeah. You helped me doing my second year shopping and we went sweet shopping."  
Scabior thought for a second. "When you gave me a lick of the rainbow lolly?"  
"Yep."  
Both went silent, thinking of the seemingly innocent yet faintly intimate moment they'd shared so long ago.


	8. Scabior's Bedroom

**Title -** _Finding A Way Home  
_ **Chapter title -** _Scabior's Bedroom  
_ **Author -** _OblivionsGarden  
_ **Genre -** _Romance/Drama  
_ **Disclaimer -** _I do not own Harry Potter, books or films, in anyway shape or form. I only own my original characters and the plot for this fic. For this chapter I own, Gabrielle, Allison, James, Barks and Tyler._

* * *

Trees blurred together, leaves crunched underfoot and the wind whipped Gabrielle's hair against her face. She struck her wand forward, causing a large tree branch to snap off and land in front of two running teenagers. They stopped, almost colliding with the branch, and turned hoping to head in a different direction, only to find they were cornered from all sides by the snatchers.  
"Good work." Scabior commented as he passed Gabrielle. He strode forward, staring down at the two children. They couldn't be any older than thirteen. "Names?" Barks pulled out a small black book as Scabior surveyed the short, blonde female.  
"Allison." She whimpered.  
"Full names."  
"Allison Crux."  
"And you?" He turned his attention to the slightly taller boy.  
"James Russo."  
Scabior turned to look at Barks. "Half bloods." He answered. "Missing from school."  
"Right. You and Greyback, take 'em to the ministry. They can get 'em back to school."

As Barks, Greyback and the two kids apparated, Gabrielle let out a breath she'd been holding for too long. She swayed slightly on the spot as her head swam from lack of oxygen. She was thankful no harm had come to the children. She didn't think she could harm a child.  
"Alright love?"  
"Mmm."

She, Scabior and Tyler headed back to their own camp as the sun had set and it was no use trying to snatch anyone in the dark. Tyler went straight into bed, hoping to catch some sleep before Greyback came back and started snoring. Scabior sat on one of the over turned logs once he'd lit a fire and Gabrielle, sat cross legged in front of a log so she could lean her back on it.  
"Scabior?"  
"Mmm?"  
"Do you smoke?"  
"Sometimes. Why?"  
"Just wondered." She was thinking of the taste that surrounded her candyfloss lolly back in diagon alley. She wondered if that was the smokey taste she'd experienced. Nicotine.

"Remember anything else today?"  
"Sort of. Did we ever have a fight?"  
"What makes you ask?"  
"I remember something vague in a bathroom. I was angry and you were...Embarrassed I think."  
"Ah...Yes." Scabior reddened.  
"What?"  
"I left school after my fourth year. But I often visited you at your house. You were in your fifth year I think.I snuck in through your open window once, to surprise you. I heard you humming in your bathroom and saw the door was slightly open so I walked straight in."  
"Oh!" Gabrielle now blushed. "I was, uh...Fresh out of the bath right?"  
"Yeah."

_Gabrielle pulled out the plug, wrinkling her nose at the gurgling sound the water made as it sloshed down the drain. She pulled a towel from her airing cupboard and dried her self off whilst she hummed along to a muggle song she'd heard whilst out in a muggle town with her parents that afternoon._   
_She draped the towel over her radiator whilst she picked up her clean underwear she'd left on top of her laundry basket. Before she could step into them however, the bathroom door swung open and Scabior stood, a faltered smile on his face._   
_"Get out!" She hissed. He slammed the door behind him, leaving her to blush and stare angrily at the door._

_She dressed quickly and re-entered her bedroom. Scabior was stood awkwardly by the window._   
_"What on earth are you doing here?" She was unable to appreciate the fact he too was embarrassed. She was too angry that he'd seen her not yet fully developed body without a word of permission._   
_"I wanted to come and see you."_   
_"Ever thought of knocking on the door, you idiot?"_   
_"It was open, I didn't think-"_   
_"You never do, do you?"_   
_"I'm sorry."_   
_"Just...Go home. I'll meet up with you on Friday. Knockturn Alley as usual." She turned her back on him, just listening to the sound of him exiting through her window._

"Well..." Scabior coughed awkwardly and stood from his seat on the log. "That was somethin' I'd rather you hadn't remembered."  
"Never mind." Gabrielle shrugged. "I'm over it." She glanced up and saw Scabior smirking down at her. The look he gave her made shivers run down her spine but in a more than pleasant way.  
"What's up?" He frowned.  
"Nothing." She lied. He nodded and headed back inside the tent.

Tyler emerged from his, holding a small bottle full of a deep brown liquid in his hand.  
"I thought you were going to bed." Gabrielle commented.  
"Can't sleep." He shrugged, dropping onto the floor beside her. "Greyback's snoring must send me to sleep. Ironically...Drink?" He held up the bottle. "Firewhisky."  
"Why not." She smiled, took the bottle and took a small sip.  
"Oh come on. If you're gonna drink have a proper mouthful." Gabrielle rolled her eyes but took a full drink of the whiskey. She coughed and grimaced as it burned it's way down her throat. She leant her head back on the log, staring up into the midnight blue sky. She closed her eyes with a contented smile as yet another memory swam into her vision.

_"I'm going to bed. Night." Gabrielle waved to her parents, who were snuggled close together beside the fire. She went up to her room and shut and locked the door. She removed her dressing gown to reveal a pair of knee length denim shorts and a short sleeved tee shirt. She slipped on her trainers, grabbed a jacket and climbed out of her window._   
_When she landed on the floor she ran straight into the surrounding forest until she was well into the middle of the dense trees. She waited for just a few seconds until she heard leaves crunching behind her._   
_"Scabior?"_   
_"I'm here." She felt a strong hand grip her elbow. She felt an odd tugging sensation and eventually found herself in a dimly lit bedroom. "Welcome to my place." Scabior smiled and sat down on his bed, crossing one leg over the other._   
_"Your room? I thought you never took people to your house." Gabrielle sat down beside him._   
_"Count yourself lucky." Scabior winked and leant across to pull something out of his bed side cabinet._

_He held up two bright green lolly's. Gabrielle took one and pulled off the wrapper, sniffing it curiously._   
_"What flavor is it?"_   
_"Try it."_   
_Gabrielle poked out her tongue with a frown and took one lick. "Hmm..Taste's weird." She noted._   
_Scabior chuckled. "You just had your first try of alcohol." He shoved his lolly into his mouth with a smile. "Absinthe lollies. Found 'em in a muggle shop."_

_Gabrielle grinned. Even since she had snuck out to Hogsmeade with Scabior during her first year, she'd enjoyed living her life on the side of the rule breakers. Now, sitting with a boy, eating alcohol flavored sweets after having snuck out of her house late at night, she felt a surge of thrill run through her._   
_The pair of them ate the sweets before Scabior dissapeared downstairs and then returned with two bottles of firewhisky and two glasses._

_Gabrielle's memory blurred, as though her vision were smudged like wet paint. She saw glimpses of the two of them laughing, hugging, lounging across each other and one in a close embrace but she couldn't quite catch what was happening. Was it a hug or something more?_   
_Then before she knew it, she was back in the forest, Scabior pushing her forward. She kept giggling, unsure of why. Scabior shushed her before starting to chuckled himself. They stood, staring at the ivy trail Gabrielle had conjured from her wand that lead straight to her open window._   
_"Need a hand?" Scabior asked as he swayed slightly in place._   
_"Probably." She shrugged. She started to climb, Scabior behind her. Every now and then she felt a hand on her backside, pushing her upwards until eventually she fell through her window and landed on the floor with a thud. Scabior landed on top of her, and both put a hand over the others mouth to stop from laughing._

"Are you listenin'?" Tyler nudged Gabrielle with his elbow.  
"Sorry...Miles away. What were you saying?" She took the bottle from his outstretched hand, smiling at the memory.  
"I said, I reckon the boss has got a favorite now." Tyler smirked.  
"What do you mean?"  
"He's spent more time talking with you in the past three days then he's spent talking to us in the past few months."  
"Well...We did know each other at school. We were best friends, it's only natural that we would catch up."  
"Catch up? The look in 'is eyes tells me 'e 'as more in mind than just _catchin' up._ "  
"Oh shut up. Why do men always jump to sex as their conclusion of a man being friends with a woman."  
"I don't. You're generalizing. All I'm sayin' is I can tell 'e has more in mind. It's obvious. You only need to look at 'im to see 'e fancies you."  
"You're mad."  
"Possibly." He took the firewhisky back with a chuckle. Gabrielle laughed along with him, happy that she had at least two friends in this small circle of snatchers.

Greyback and Barks returned about an hour later, when Gabrielle and Tyler were sat in a happy, slightly drunken daze, staring at the campfire.  
"Hello boys." Gabrielle greeted them. They both stared. "No need to be so stand offish. If we've got to work together, you may as well talk to me." Greyback smiled slightly, amused at the effect alcohol had on her.  
"I'm not standoffish." He said. "Just gettin' used to you." He removed his jacket, stretched and ran off into the forest. Gabrielle assumed he was going to hunt his dinner.  
" 'E's not standoffish. I don't think I've ever 'eard 'im speak." Tyler nodded his head at Barks. Barks nodded back and sat down on a log.  
"Right. Well, I'm off to bed." Gabrielle jumped up, slightly unstable on her feet.  
"Nighty night." Tyler chuckled.

Once inside the tent, Gabrielle sat in one of the armchairs opposite Scabior who was lounged across one.  
"Can you remember getting me drunk?"  
Scabior sat up straight, one eyebrow raised. "I do. Do you?"  
"Yeah...Well some bits are blurry of course but I remember most of it.  
"Which bits are uh...Blurred?"  
"Um..." She didn't want to say she couldn't work out whether they were hugging or kissing. Not after what Tyler had said. "Just bits of conversation."  
"Ah." He leant his elbows on his knees. She could tell that he knew she was lying.  
"I'm going to bed. No doubt I'll have a headache in the morning." She stood and stretched with a yawn. "Night Scabby." She stopped short.  
"No one's called me that for a while."  
"Scabby. Didn't you hate that nickname?"  
"Wouldn't you?"  
"Good point. Well, night...Scabby."  
Scabior chuckled, settling back into his chair. "Night."

* * *

 


	9. The Old Hag's Camp

**Title -** _Finding A Way Home_  
 **Chapter title -** _The Old Hag's Camp_  
 **Author -** _OblivionsGarden_  
 **Genre -** _Romance/Drama_  
 **Disclaimer -** _I do not own Harry Potter, books or films, in anyway shape or form. I only own my original characters and the plot for this fic. For this chapter I own, Gabrielle, the old woman, Barks and Tyler._

* * *

"Gabs? Wake up you lump!" Gabrielle felt something hit her head and she blearily opened her eyes. Something large and white came down again to hit her in the face. She sat up grabbing the object only to find it was a pillow and Scabior was stood over her with a playful grin on his face. Gabrielle jumped up, swinging the pillow at the side of his head. Scabior stared, briefly shocked she'd dared to hit him back. Then he regained his senses and ducked down, shooting out an arm to grab her ankle and pull it towards him. She toppled backwards, bouncing down on the mattress with a grunt. "Breakfast time, my dear." Scabior scurried out of the tent, swiftly dodging the pillow that was hurled at his back.

Gabrielle dressed quickly in her usual jeans and tee shirt with her boots. She draped her coat over her arm, tucked her wand safely inside her new belt and headed out to eat. She sat on a log beside Tyler and was handed a plate of toast and eggs by Barks. She smiled in thanks and tucked in.

After breakfast Scabior took Gabrielle through into a denser part of the forest without so much as a syllable of an explanation.  
"Right." He turned to face her when he was satisfied nobody would hear them. He couldn't be bothered to put up a silencing spell, the others always wanted to know why, which defeated the whole point. "Where we're goin' today...You might not want to come."  
"Why?" Gabrielle frowned. "Where're we going?"  
"Another forest as per, it's where everyone hides...But this one is only about five minutes away from...From your house." He waited for some kind of reaction in her eyes but none came.  
"Perhaps I could find some information about those that did it." Scabior frowned. "The ones who took my families memories."  
"In a forest?"  
"No...I'm going home."  
"Are you sure that's wise?"  
"Probably not but..." Gabrielle took a breath, staring straight into Scabior's eyes. "I need to, you know?"  
"I understand." And he did. He too had returned home after the death of his mother for closure. "Would you like me to come with you. I hated being alone."  
"Maybe. I'll decide later."

* * *

"Shh!" Gabrielle hushed Tyler's humming behind her. Being where she was, her senses were on high alert and she could of sworn she heard the faint crackle of a fire burning in the distance. "Greyback...Can you smell burning?" The wolf lifted his nose high into the air and inhaled deeply before nodding. "Which way?" Greyback pointed and the five snatchers headed in that direction, as silent as possible.

The snatchers split up, surrounding the camp they located. A middle aged woman came out of the tent, placing a kettle over a small fire. Wand gripped so tightly her knuckles were white, Gabrielle stalked forward. The woman glanced up without batting an eyelid.  
Bright white light flashed in front of Gabrielle's eyes and her mind was swimming with images of the woman. Only the woman was gripping someone's arm, someone with auburn hair who looked terrified, screaming for Gideon. Black swam across the images until the auburn haired woman was on the floor, dead and the other woman wore a triumphant grin.  
Gabrielle came back into the moment. She stared at the woman, the woman who had killed her mother. "You." She spat.  
"Me." The woman smiled. "Umbridge must have given you your memories." She seemed unfazed by the livid snatcher stood before her. "Going to kill me dear?" She raised her arms in way of surrender. "Go right ahead."  
The famous curse was on the tip of Gabrielle's tongue until she moved her gaze into the tent behind the woman. Empty aside from one thin bit of fabric on the floor. The woman was alone, poor clearly, and had no food. If she died, she would be happy. She didn't deserve that.  
"Crucio." It came out calm and steady but the blood curdling scream that followed from the woman did not.

None of the other snatchers came to stop her and so she didn't. She used a rejuvenating spell to make sure the old hag didn't die before she cursed her again. Gabrielle knelt beside the woman's head. Her nose was bleeding, along with her ears. She coughed, small droplets of blood coming up to land on her lips.  
"Please." She begged, choking on her own blood and saliva.  
"Why? Why should I give you the mercy you refused my mother?" The woman didn't reply. "Where are the others? The men who attacked my father and I?"  
"They'll kill you...You're too weak." Again Gabrielle sent a curse from the tip of her wand. The woman choked again, spitting blood out from her mouth. Gabrielle hoisted her up by the collar of her shirt.  
"Where. Are. They?"  
"Hiding."  
"Where?"  
"Where better to hide than where no one will think to look?"  
"What?"  
"They were right under your nose when you got your memories! Why do you think you can't remember everything yet?"  
"How do you-" Gabrielle dropped the woman, moving to stand up. She couldn't mean they were working in the ministry.  
"They're not dead."  
Gabrielle whipped her head around her black hair fanning out around her. "What?"  
"They aren't dead. Miranda and Gideon. The ministry just think so."  
"Liar."  
"I'm not."  
"Avada Kedavra!" The woman's eyes remained open, staring off into some unknown space, lips slightly parted in a grim satisfaction.

Gabrielle stared at her, fists clenched and teeth grinding. She felt a hand on her shoulder and knew without turning that it was Scabior.  
"You OK?" His voice was barely a whisper.  
"She lied, right?"  
"About?" Scabior had put up a silencing charm for her so the others didn't know what was being said. He too had had the courtesy not to listen.  
"She said the men who attacked us are working in the ministry and that..." Gabrielle turned now to look Scabior in the eye. "She said my parents aren't dead."  
Frowning, Scabior stared into Gabrielle's eyes. "We'll go home. Then to the ministry and talk to Umbridge."  
"OK."  
"Greyback." Scabior barked never once tearing his gaze from her face. "Get rid of 'er and search the forest. Gabs and I 'ave to be somewhere. Meet you back at camp later."

Before any of the others could protest Scabior had grabbed Gabrielle's hand and apparated them just down the lane from her house.


	10. The Beckett Mansion

**Title -** _Finding A Way Home  
_ **Chapter title -** _The Beckett Mansion  
_ **Author -** _OblivionsGarden  
_ **Genre -** _Romance/Drama  
_ **Disclaimer -** _I do not own Harry Potter, books or films, in anyway shape or form. I only own my original characters and the plot for this fic. For this chapter I own, Gabrielle, Gideon, Miranda and Louis._

* * *

"Gabs?" Scabior was one step beside her, staring with concern at her clenched fists. "You sure you want to go inside." They were approaching the house. It was large and grand, standing tall against the darkening sky. Over the years it had become weather worn and had a clear abandoned aura around it.  
"Yes." The gravel of the path crunched below foot. "Scabior...Could you wait outside?"  
"Sure. Just shout if you need me." Scabior stopped in the open doorway as Gabrielle gave him a grateful smile before heading inside.

The hall was dark and smelt of damp. Gabrielle mentally scolded whoever it was that had left the door open, letting her home become ruined. She went into the living room, holding her breath with the expectation of seeing her parents lifeless bodies on the floor. Of course, they weren't.  
She glanced at her window seat. The blanket and cushion were now damp and moth eaten. The place she'd spent so many hours of her childhood reading and watching the rain run down the window was now ruined. She walked further into the room, wishing there was some family photo on the mantlepiece. She sat, almost timidly, in the emerald green armchair that had usually been occupied by her father.  
"Oh." The sound escaped her throat as she looked down at the carpet. A small dark stain. Images of her mother lying on the floor, bleeding from her temples swam into her mind.

Scabior knew he'd promised to wait outside unless she called but the soft sound of crying tore him from his post. He found Gabrielle sat in an armchair staring at the ground. He saw the stain on the floor and rushed forward. He pulled her up and enveloped her into a tight hug.  
"It's OK, we'll find out what happened to them. I promise."  
"Thank you Scabior."  
"What for?"  
"Just being here." Gabrielle shrugged as she used her sleeve to wipe her eyes. "To the-"  
"Gabrielle?" Gabrielle didn't answer. She was busy watching as a memory played out around her.

_"Gabbie, I don't like him." Gabrielle's father was pacing the length of the living room._   
_"But dad-"_   
_"No. You are not to see him again."_   
_"Oh Gideon. As much as I would love for her to stay young forever too, she's growing up." Miranda Beckett looked over her book at her husband._   
_"Miranda, you are not helping."_   
_"Mum, didn't you have this exact same conversation with grandpa?"_   
_Miranda smirked at her daughters cunning. "Yes." She set her book down and stood, moving closer to Gideon. "He thought your father was a whole heap of trouble. He didn't think anyone was good enough for me because I was his little girl."_   
_"Stop it." Gideon muttered._   
_"You know it's true darling. Imagine if I had listened to my father. We'd never have been married."_   
_"She is not going on a date with him."_   
_"But daddy-"_   
_"No, Gabrielle." Gideon had to turn away from his daughter's doe eyes. They always made him putty in her hands._   
_"Well tough. I love him and there is nothing you can do to stop me seeing him."_   
_Gideon and Miranda turned to face their daughter. "What was that honey?"_   
_"I said I love him." Gabrielle repeated, quieter this time. "And whether you accept that or not I'm going out, tonight, with him." And with that said, Gabrielle lifted her coat from the back of the sofa and left the living room._   
_She slammed the front door behind her and ran down the garden path. There was a figure waiting for her at the end but before she could see who it was, Gabrielle was slammed back into the present._

"Gabs!" Scabior was knelt at her side as she came to. She found herself sat on the gravel outside of her house. "What happened? One minuted we were sat inside then next you wouldn't speak and then you ran out here."  
"Memories." Gabrielle mumbled. She turned to look at the end of the path as if the mysterious figure from the memory would still be there. "Did I have a boyfriend?"  
Scabior's expression turned to stone. "Why?"  
"I remember telling my family that I loved someone whether they accepted it or not. Then I ran out here to meet...Well, him I presume."  
"Interesting." Scabior crossed his legs. "You did have a boyfriend. But as far as I remember your parents accepted him. Practically called him family."  
"What was his name?"  
Scabior paused before answering. "Louis Barker."

* * *

 


End file.
